Effect of substance P on the content of catecholamines and on the enzymes of their synthesis in the brain of chronically alcoholized rats

The effect of a single administration of the endogenous peptide substance P on the content of dopamine (DA), and norepinephrine (NE), and on the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine β-hydroxylase (D-β-H) is studied in the hypothalamus and midbrain of rats after a 6-month alcoholization. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 7, pp. 46–48, July, 1994     

State of the hematopoietic system in rats subjected to emotional stress after low-dose chronic irradiation

Examination of processes occurring in the hematopoietic system of rats subjected to emotional stress shortly after 30-day exposure to low-dose γ-radiation revealed the inhibitory influence of radiation exposure on the development of adaptive reactions by this system in the stressed animals. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 4, pp. 349—353, April, 1995     

Sustained aftereffect of the amnestic action of scopolamine in rats and its elimination by piracetam

Experiments were carried out on male Wistar rats to assess (1) the effect of chronically administered (for 20 days) scopolamine on their learning capacity and memory 10 days after its last administration and (2) the influence of the nootropic piracetam, given for 10 days after scopolamine and before learning a conditioned passive avoidance response, on cognitive functions of the brain altered as a result of the M-cholinergic receptors being blocked by scopolamine. Scopolamine-dosed rats showed poor reproduction of the conditioned passive avoidance response when tested for this response at 24 h and 30 days after learning it, whereas those treated with piracetam after scopolamine retained the response well both at 24 h and at 30 days. Piracetam also restored the scopolamine-impaired acute extinction of orienting/exploratory activity in the rats. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 4, pp. 372–374, April, 1995 Presented by S. B. Seredenin, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effect of amiridine and tacrine on the functional degeneration of the isolated neuron

Amiridine and tacrine are found to have a concentration-dependent effect on the spontaneous activity of an isolated neuron from crawfish. Amiridine in a concentration of 1 μM reliably prolongs the lifetime of the neuron, whereas lower concentrations are inactive and a high concentration (10 μM) reduces spontaneous activity. Tacrine is unable to prolong the lifetime of the neuron. It is suggested that, unlike tacrine, the therapeutic effect of amiridine stems from its ability to prolong neuronal functioning. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, N ^o 1, pp. 52–54, January, 1996 Presented by Yu. A. Romanov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effect of low doses of piracetam on conditioned-response memory in rats

Effects of low doses of piracetam, a psychotropic nootropic, on the memory of rats are studied. A positive effect of the drug in a dose many times lower than the doses used routinely is demonstrated on a model of elaboration of the active avoidance reaction. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 7, pp. 60–61, July, 1995 Presented by I. P. Ashmarin, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Comparison of the neurotropic and stress-protecting properties of piracetam and pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidine derivative

A new pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidine derivative causes psychostimulation in albino rats expressed in accelerated learning during the elaboration of the avoidance reaction in a shuttle box. It is also shown that on a model of acute emotional stress induced by a disturbance of the unambiguity of cause-effect relationships in the experimental setting this compound exhibits a stress-protecting effect which is comparable to the effect of piracetam. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o . 3, pp. 299–301, March, 1995 Presented by K. V. Sudakov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Impaired plasticity of hippocampal synaptic transmission in rats exposed to prenatal hypoxia is normalized by treatment with nootropic dipeptides

Experiments on hippocampal slices from young rats exposed to hypobaric hypoxia duringin utero development revealed enhanced responsiveness (an increase in a CA1 field response amplitude) and reduced plasticity (a low incidence of field response long-term potentation following high-frequency stimulation) of CA1 pyramidal neurons. Postnatal treatment of animals with piracetam peptide analogs constructed on the basis of pyroglutamate and proline normalized both these physiological indices. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 12, pp. 592–595, December, 1995 Presented by G. N. Kryzhanovskii, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Cardioprotective effects of T3-146, a cyclic derivative of γ-aminobutyric acid, under conditions of reperfusion

Intravenous injection of T3-146, a cyclic derivative of γ-aminobutyric acid (structural analog of piracetam), 5 min prior to reperfusion of the descendent branch of the left coronary artery prevents the development of serious rhythm disturbances and stabilizes hemodynamics and cardiac function. These effects are probably due to the inhibitory effect of this compound on lipid peroxidation in the myocardium. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 124, No. 11, pp. 533–536, November, 1997     

Effects of the nootropics piracetam and GVS-111 on voltage-dependent ion channels of neuronal membranes

The effect of two nootropics, piracetam and N-phenylacetyl-L-prolyglycine ethyl ester (GVS-111), is studied by measuring high-threshold K⁺ and Ca²⁺ currents in isolated snail neurons using a two-microelectrode patch-clamp technique. Piracetam and GVS-111 are shown to reduce the amplitude of both the K⁺ and the Ca²⁺ (to a lesser extent) current. The threshold concentrations for GVS-111 and piracetam are 10⁻⁹-10⁻⁸ M and 1–5×10⁻⁴ M, respectively. It is assumed that the antiamnestic effect of the nootropics is partially mediated by a blockade of ion channels of the neuronal membrane. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, N ^o 2, pp. 151–155, February, 1996 Presented by G. N. Kryzhanovskii, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Second messengers contribute to cholinoceptor modulation by amiridine inHelix lucorum neurons

The effect of amiridine on the local inward acetylcholine current and its volt-ampere characteristic are studied by the two-electrode method of membrane voltage clamp in identified RPa3 and LPa3helix lucorum neurons pretreated with forskolin, sodium nitroprusside, A23187, and EGTA. The results suggest that second messengers (Ca²⁺, NO, cGMP, and cAMP) are implicated in the amiridine-mediated regulation of cholinoceptors inHelix lucorum neurons. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 11, pp. 470–473, November, 1994 Presented by Yu. A. Romanov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Involvement of fibronectin and interacting serum components in the regulation of activity of human natural killer cells

The cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells and the intensity of conjugate formation are studiedin vitro in the natural cytotoxicity reaction against³H-uridine-labeled human erythromyeloleukotic cells K-562 in the presence of fibronectin, γ-globulin, and fibronectin/γ-globulin combination. It is demonstrated that fibronectin does not change natural cytotoxicity, γ-globulin increases the activity of human natural killer cells, and the fibronectin — γ-globulin combination increases both the intensity of conjugate formation and the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 7, pp. 54–59, July, 1994     

Effect of mexidol on the content of transmitter monoamines and amino acids in rat brain structures

The content of two major classes of neurotransmitters (monoamines and amino acids) and their main metabolites is measured in rats at certain intervals afterper os administration of mexidol (150 mg/kg). The level of dopamine and of its metabolite dihydroxyphenylacetic acid is found to be considerably elevated in the frontal cortex, suggesting a pronounced cortical component in the mechanism of action of mexidol. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, N ^o 2, pp. 170–173, February, 1996 Presented by M. M. Khananashvili; Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Blast transformation of lymphocytes and the activity of natural killer cells in the presence of γ-globulinin vitro

The cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells against³H-uridine-labeled target cells (human erythromyeloleukosis cells K-562) and the intensity of spontaneous blast transformation are studiedin vitro in the presence of human serum γ-globulin. It is shown that spontaneous blast transformation is 49–51% due to the presence of aggregated γ-globulin, while the aggregate-free γ-globulin fraction does not induce this reaction. The cytotoxic activity of natural killer cellsin vitro declines in the presence of native γ-globulin, which is related to the influence of aggregated γ-globulin, the intensity of whose formation may increase upon a manyfold decrease in the γ-globulin content of the preparation. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 12, pp. 625–630, December, 1994     

Nootropic correction of disturbances in learning and memory caused by superhigh frequency electromagnetic radiation

Superhigh frequency electromagnetic radiation of low intensity produces retrograde amnesia in rats tested for passive avoidance conditioning. Oxiracetam and aniracetam completely prevent the amnestic action of electromagnetic radiation, while nooglutil, piracetam, and centrophenoxine markedly weaken it. It is postulated that pyrrolidone-derived nootropics can be used for the pharmacological correction of disturbances in learning and memory caused by superhigh frequency electromagnetic radiation. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 12, pp. 606–608, December, 1994 Presented by P. V. Sergeev, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Comparative study of the effect of amiridine on biological membranes

The effects of amiridine and of the comparable drugs tacrine and piracetam on synaptosomes and membranes of sarcoplasmic reticulum were studied by electron paramagnetic resonance; in addition, the effects of these drugs on the activity of Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺-dependent ATPase regulating calcium transport in neurons were investigated. In concentrations of 10⁻⁷ to 10⁻⁵ M the drugs did not affect the structure of synaptosomal membranes of rat brain. Amiridine and tacrine in a concentration of 0.1 mM reduced the rate of calcium ion transport across the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane by inhibiting the function of Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺-dependent ATPase and induced marked changes of the structural rigidity of the protein part of the membrane. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N№ 11, pp. 503–505, November, 1995 Presented by Yu. A. Romanov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Implication of the hippocampus in the development of a pain syndrome in rats following sciatic nerve damage

Local destruction or electrostimulation of the hippocampus did not affect pain sensitivity thresholds in rats with intact sciatic nerve. In rats with transected sciatic nerve, local hippocampal damage accelerated the development of a pain syndrome considerably, while hippocampal electrostimulation delayed it so that 80% of the test rats did not appear to have been experiencing pain throughout the 45-day observation period. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 8, pp. 120–122, August, 1994     

Effect of melipramine on the development of experimental depressive syndrome induced by systemic administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)

The effects of chronic administration of melipramine on the development of behavioral signs of depression in rats are studied using the model of a depressive syndrome induced by systemic administration of MPTP. Preadministration of melipramine prevents such MPTP-induced behavioral signs of depression in rats as decreased motor activity, reduced total daily liquid intake, reduced preference of sucrose solution over water, and increased depression index. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Giologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o . 8, pp. 160–163, August, 1995     

Reaction of pulmonary tumor transplants to irradiation and platidiam in the subcapsular test

Effects of γ-irradiation in a dose of 6 Gy and platidiam in a total dose of 16 mg/kg on the growth rate of transplants of 20 human pulmonary carcinomas under the renal capsules of immunodepressed mice were studied. Ten out of 11 tumors resistant to radiation were found to be resistant to platidiam as well. On the other hand, only 10 out of 15 carcinomas resistant to platidiam were resistant to radiation. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 11, pp. 505–507, November, 1994     

Altered activity of respiratory chain enzymes in mitochondria of peripheral blood lymphocytes after irradiation in rats

The effect of ionizing radiation on the activity of succinate dehydrogenase (complex II) and succinate-cytochrome C-oxidoreductase in peripheral blood lymphocytes is studied on rats exposed to whole-body γ-irradiation in doses of 9.5–10.5 Gy. On day 5 after irradiation, when the number of lymphocytes is sharply reduced, enzyme activity in the remaining population is found to be reliably increased. These changes are not related to biological cycles. It is assumed that most of the survivors after high-dose irradiation are the cell populations maintaining a high level of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Giologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o . 8, pp. 158–159, August, 1995 Presented by D. S. Sarkisov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

The use of a nonopiate leu-enkephalin analog and of hydra peptide morphogen for the correction of proliferation disturbances in tracheal epithelium and of LPO processes in lungs of newborn rats exposed to prenatal hypoxia

Newborn rats were born of females exposed to high-altitude hypoxia. Pregnant females were injected i.p. either nonopiate leu-enkephalin analog or hydra peptide morphogen 10 μg/kg 30 min prior to being placed in a pressure chamber. Prenatal hypoxia causes the inhibition of the proliferative processes in tracheal epithelium and activation of lipid peroxidation (LPO) in lungs of newborn rats. The administration of nonopiate leu-enkephalin analog prevents the development of posthypoxic alterations in newborn rats. The administration of hydra peptide morphogen inhibits the proliferation of tracheal epithelium and lowers the activity of the antioxidant defense of the lungs in newborn rats. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 5, pp. 535–537, May, 1994 Presented by Yu. A. Romanov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences